Ball frame for shaker chutes



May 1, 1934. A. w. CLARKE 1,955,791

BALL FRAME FOR SHAKER CHUTES Filed July 29, 1952 INVENTOR #55672 WCZarAe I A'IZTORNEY Patented May 1, i934 are BALL FRAME FGR SHAKER CHUTESApplication July 29, 1932, Serial No. 625,635

2 Claims.

This invention relates to shaker chutes used in mining operations andfor other purposes and has particular reference to the ball frames whichsupport the individual trough sections of the chutes.

Shaker chutes usually comprise a plurality of connected trough sectionswhich are reciprocatcd by a suitable power device connected to one ofsaid sections, termed the drive section,

1 and at intervals the individual trough sections are supported forreciprocation on ball frames.

During reciprocation of a shaker chute, forces arise which tend to shiftthe chute in a vertical as well as a sidewise direction. In View ofthis,

one object of the present invention is the provision of a ball frame forshaker chutes which is so formed as to restrain the chute sectionsagainst excessive vertical and sidewise shifting.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a new and improvedball frame for shaker chutes which is easy and inexpensive tomanufacture and strong and durable in operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingin which:

Figure l is a top plan view of a ball frame constructed in accordancewith the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 22, Fig. 1; the view alsoshowing, in section, a trough section applied thereto, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 2 withcertain parts thereof broken away to show other parts in section.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing in which similarcharacters of reference designate similar parts in the several views,the ball frame of the present invention comprises a base frame indicatedgenerally at A and a reciprocable trough supporting body member B forsupporting a trough section indicated generally at C and to which saidtrough section is connected.

The base frame comprises a pair of spaced members 2, downwardly facingchannels in the instance shown, connected by spaced rigid members lsecured thereto at points spaced from the ends of the channels 2, asshown clearly in Fig. l. The members 4 each form a ball race andpreferably are angles, the horizontal legs 6 of which are inwardlyextended and the vertical legs 8 have their upper edge portions inwardlyflanged toward each other, as shown at 10. The body member B in theinstance shown comprises a pair of plates 12 arranged side by side (seeFig. 1) in spaced relation to provide a space 15 therebetween, the endportions of said plates being secured to the webs 14 of downwardlyfacing channels indicated generally 69 at 16 and constituting upper racemembers which rest on anti-friction elements in the form of balls 18supported by the lower flanges 6 of the angles 4. In the instance shownthe plates 12 are of such a length as to underlap the upper flanges ll)of the angles 4 though this is merely by way of example. The plates 12and channels 16 are preferably connected by welding, as shown at 20.

For stiffening purposes, portions of the contiguous edges of the plates12 are downwardly flanged as shown at 22 and receive therebetween theleg 24 of a T section 26 secured in any suitable manner to the undersurface of the bottom 28 of the trough C, the T 26 obviously providing ameans for connecting the trough section C to the body member B.

Each end of each of the channels 16 is preferably closed by a stop orscraper member 30 welded within the channel as shown at 32 andconstituting end stops for the balls 18 and also providing a means forcleaning the lower race member or angle l of dirt or other foreignmatter which may collect therein during reciprocation of the bodymember. Intermediate the ends of the channels 16 a partition 34 isprovided which is welded within the channels and serves as a spacerwhich serves to retain the balls 18 in spaced relation.

On each of the channels 2, intermediate the end portions thereof andbetween the angles 4, stop members 36 are provided in the form of angleswith which the flanges 32 of the plates are adapted to contact toprevent accidental separation of the body supporting member B and thebase frame A when moving the device from place to place.

From the above description it is believed that the construction andoperation of the device of the present invention will be fully apparentto those skilled in the art. When the trough section C is reciprocatedthe movement obviously is transmitted to the T 26 and to the body memberB because of the connection therebetween shown clearly in Fig. 3.Reciprocation of the trough section obviously will cause a reciprocationof the body member B on the balls 18. Tendency of vertical shifting ofthe body member B relative to the base frame is prevented by theoverlapping relation of the flanges 10 of angles 4 I10 with the bodymember (see Fig. 2) and sidewise shifting of said body member is reducedto a minimum by contact of the webs 8 of the angles 4 with the outerflanges of the upper race members or channels 16. As previouslymentioned, should dirt or other foreign matter tend to collect in thelower race members 4 it is eliminated by the scraper members 30 and alsoby the partitions 34; being forced out from the ends of the angles 4 orbeing permitted to escape from the angles due to the space between thelower or horizontal flanges 6 thereof and the lower portions of theflanges of the channels 16.

The drawing illustrates one embodiment of the invention but it is to beunderstood that it is for illustrative purposes only and various changesin the form and proportion of the device may be made within the scope ofthe appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a ball frame for shaker chutes, a base frame including lower racemembers each having a horizontal flange and a vertical flange, the upperedge portions of the latter being inturned, anti-friction elementssupported on the horizontal flanges of the race members, and means forsupporting a trough section for reciprocation comprising downwardlyfacing channels sup ported on the anti-friction elements with one flangeof each thereof adjacent the vertical flanges of the lower race memberswhereby exrosavei cessive sidewise shifting of said channels isrestrained by contact thereof with said vertical flanges and a bodymember having opposite edge portions thereof secured to the webs of saidchannels and underlying the inturned portions of the vertical flanges ofthe lower race members whereby excessive vertical shifting of said bodymember is restrained by contact thereof with said inturned portions.

2. In a ball frame for shaker chutes, a base frame including lower racemembers each having a horizontal flange and a vertical flange, the upperedge portions of the latter being inturned, anti-friction elementssupported on the horizontal flanges of the race members, and means forsupporting a trough section for reciprocation comprising downwardlyfacing channels supported on the anti-friction elements with one flangeof each thereof adjacent the vertical flanges of the lower race memberswhereby excessive sidewise shifting of said channels is restrained bycontact thereof with said vertical flanges, and a body member comprisinga pair of plates arranged side by side in spaced relation with their endportions secured to the webs of said channels and underlying theintiu'ned portions of said race members, portions of the contiguousedges of said plates being downwardly flanged in parallel relation withthe end portions of said flanges arranged adjacent and secured to theinner flanges of said channels.

ALLEN W. CLARKE.

